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take a peek inside the famous

caves of faribault

Welcome to the Caves of Faribault! It is our pleasure to give

you a glimpse into these famous Minnesota cheese-aging caves that are now a part of Swiss Valley Farms. Starting on this month’s cover and continuing on page 4, you can meet Jeff Jirik, the Blue cheese-loving man who runs these caves, and get an idea of what goes on down under ground in Faribault, Minn.

Speaking of Faribault, the co-op’s latest acquisition brings with it an on-line cheese shopping experience. Right in time for Christmas, too! Surf on over to Cheesecave.net and check out the cheeses and cheese gift packages and baskets that are available for shipping. The sky is the limit!

An on-line co-op-branded clothes shopping opportunity will be launched by Swiss Valley in mid-November, also in time for Christmas. Go to our website – swissvalley.com – and look for the Merchandise tab in the Member Section. Read more about this on the next page.

Good news for members! Swiss Valley Farms will be dispersing the mid-December revolving fund checks at the December district meetings. District meetings begin Nov. 30 and run through the next two weeks. If you want to pick up your revolving fund check early instead of waiting to receive it in the mail later on in December, just come to your district meeting

and bring a valid driver’s license for ID purposes. If the farm is a corporation, partnership, LLC or LLP, only an officer or partner may pick up the check. Only checks for current members will be available at these meetings. The district meeting schedule is on Pg. 9 of this issue. I hope to see you there.

A recent national development that will directly affect Swiss Valley members is the change in focus of the CWT program, which was just announced at the 2010 NMPF Dairy Summit. CWT will no longer offer herd retirements, but instead will direct all its energies and finances toward increasing U.S. exports. The national per hundredweight contribution from dairy producers to these new efforts will be 2 cents. At its Nov. 2nd meeting, the Swiss Valley Farms Board voted for the cooperative to have all members participate in this new CWT check off. Read more about this on Pg. 11.

CEo Don Boelens

Get a Glimpse of the Caves byDonBoelens

Published Monthly by:

Swiss Valley Farms Cooperative

P.O. Box 4493 Davenport, IA 52808

563.468.6600 FAX 563.468.6616

www.swissvalley.com

Nancy FeeneyEditor/ Member Relations Mgr.

Swiss Valley Farms, Co. will produce, distribute and sell value-added, quality products for our:

Customers & ConsumersOwner/MembersWorkforce

Swiss Valley Board OfficersChairPam Bolin................................................Clarksville, IAVice ChairRandy Schaefer....................................Blue Grass, IAAssistant SecretaryJeff nimtz...............................................Monticello, WIAssistant TreasurerJames Schmitt.............................................Sherrill, IA

Swiss Valley DirectorsLoyde M. Beers.......................................Eastman, WISteve Klug.....................................Spring Grove, MnDale Humpal.........................................Ridgeway, IAFrancis Leibfried..................................Cuba City, WIG. Joe Lyon....................................................Toledo, IAKen Schmitz..............................................norwalk, WIPatrick Schroeder..............................Lancaster, WIEugene Smith........................................Clinton, WI

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CuStoMIzeD bRANDeD MeRChANDISe

IS oNlY A ClICk AwAY!

Are you partial to polos? Do you gloat over totes? Are you crazy for caps? Whatever your style, the Swiss Valley Farms online merchandising store

has it. The online store, which opened this November, promises an amazing selection of wearables and accessories from top name brands such as Ashworth, Columbia, Tommy Hilfiger, Dri Duck and River’s End.

The store’s functionality allows you to choose the style, size and color you prefer right from the comfort of your own home. All items come customized with an embroidered company logo–choose from Swiss Valley Farms, Rochester Cheese or The Caves of Faribault.

To access the store, simply follow these instructions:

1. Visit www.swissvalley.com and click on the “Member” section of the site.2. Click on the “Merchandise” tab. Here you’ll find a link to the store.3. Browse the easily categorized merchandise and select your favorite items.4. Choose size, color, logo and quantity preferences.5. Proceed to the secure checkout and enter your billing and shipping information. You also have the option to create an account and save this information for future merchandise purchases.

Show your company pride! Log on now and order your merchandise today!

O n l i n e M e r c h a n d i s e S t o r e N o w L i v e

easier than ever on-line Shopping

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welCoMe to the CAVeSoF FARIbAult

When Swiss Valley Farms purchased The Caves of Faribault this past August, all of our dairy producer members acquired a piece of

American cheesemaking history. Jeff Jirik, the former owner of Faribault Dairy, and now Vice President of the Blue Cheese Division for the co-op, proudly recounts a rich history embedded deep within the caves’ sandstone walls.

The history of the caves begins in 1854 when Gottfried Fleckenstein, a German immigrant on a brief boat trip stopover in Faribault, Minn., discovered natural St. Peter sandstone caves along the Straight River. Carved out by

the receding glaciers thousands of years ago, the caves extended back into the bluffs and Fleckenstein knew they would be the perfect place for brewing and storing beer. Fleckenstein never got back on the boat! He opened a German brewery inside the caves and became a prosperous Faribault resident.

In 1936, the caves were taken over by Felix Frederickson, and they became the site of the first Blue cheese plant in America. Frederickson enlarged the main cave and began making cave-aged Blue cheese. St. Peter sandstone, found only in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and northern Missouri, is ideally suited for aging cheeses because of its

america’s first blue

cheese plant

ON THE COVER AND ABOVE: Jeff Jirik stands in a Faribault cave where racks of Blue cheese are curing. On the opposite page: The cheese caves seem to go on forever.At left, newly washed cheese vats and curd shovels gleam in the make room.

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slightly acidic nature, architectural integrity, the perfect humidity and temperature conditions (53 degrees year around), and the unique properties that allow water to move both vertically and horizontally, never dripping. In 1938, entirely new caves were hand hewn from the sandstone rock to accommodate cheese curing expansion.

Down through the decades, the caves changed hands a few more times until Faribault Dairy took ownership of the caves in 2001 and continued the legend by manufacturing and curing America’s original Blue cheese. “We named our Blue cheese AmaBlu,” Jeff says. “‘Ama,’ which is Latin for ‘I love’ and ‘blu’, which stands for the cheese variation we make.”

Today, the caves are now a part of Swiss Valley’s history. There are a total of 13 caves used to cure over a million pounds of award-winning American Blue and Gorgonzola cheeses, among other varieties. (See the orange box on Pg. 7 for details.)

Just across from the caves sits the cheese plant, where cheesemakers faithfully follow Frederickson’s original recipe, crafting the cheeses by hand using no artificial ingredients, and then hand-salting them before they make their way into the caves. It is the time spent in the caves that determines the cheeses’ flavor profile. AmaBlu Blue cheese is aged 75 days to create a tangy, yet not-too-sharp flavor. Its cohort, AmaGorg Gorgonzola cheese, is aged 90 days and displays more sharpness, in addition to being sweeter and drier than the Blue cheese. AmaBlu St. Pete’s Select Blue cheese is a premium variety of Blue, aged over

100 days in the caves it was named after. It exhibits a creamy, complex flavor worthy of its signature status.

Today, Faribault Dairy remains the only U.S.

Far left: Faribault employees apply a fresh coat of a special white-wash to the walls of a new cave.Employees are: Francisco Zepeda, Bryan Cantu, Jefferson Cake and Josh Sturmer. At left and below: Employee Sue Hossler dips wedges of AmaBlu cheese in a wax coating to seal in its freshness and prepare it for the store shelf.

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cheesemaker to still cure and age its Blue cheese exclusively in rock caves. Jeff never tires of describing what it is like to walk into a cave where the Blue cheeses are curing. “The cave-aged naked cheeses evoke the aroma of a freshly tilled garden in spring,” he says. “The sweet fragrance of butterfat breaking down into floral notes permeates the air.”

With such pride and enthusiasm for his cave-aged Blue cheeses, it is no surprise Deli Business magazine called Jeff Jirik the most innovative cheesemaker in America. And this year, Jeff won a Best of Class for his Gorgonzola at the World Championship Cheese Contest.

Not to be forgotten is another cave located just up the street from the plant. Though it’s not made of sandstone, it plays just as valuable a role as the real caves themselves. The Cheese Cave, created in 2009 by Jeff Jirik with business associates Jeff LaBeau and Bob Foley, is the retail outlet for the cheeses from The Caves of Faribault, and a mecca for cheese lovers and culinary connoisseurs. The quaint store located in the downtown Faribault shopping district carries specialty cheeses, dry goods and spreads, and is always bustling with tastings, cooking demonstrations and other gourmet events. A small vat of fresh cheese curds is made there twice a week.

Those not fortunate enough to be physically near the brick

and mortar store can visit its online counterpart, www.cheesecave.net, from anywhere in the world.

The cheeses, food goods, gift baskets and merchandise found in the store can be ordered online and shipped anywhere in the country. Bon appetite!

To view a Food Network interview with Jeff Jirik about the Caves of Faribault, go to: http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/select-blue-cheese/27470.html

Faribault brands:AmaBluBlueCheeseAmaGorgGorgonzolaCheeseSt.Pete’sSelectBlueCheeseVerdantGrassFedBlue-Spring/SummerMilkBuckHillGrassFedBlue-WinterMilkBluesandBrews-OktoberFestBlauBluesandBrews-WinterBluesBluesandBrews-SummertimeBluesCheeseCaveCheeseCurdsFiniCaveAgedCheddar*Jeffs’SelectCaveAgedGouda*St.Mary’sGrassFedGouda*

*manufacturedbyMapleLeafCheesemakers

Below left: The Cheese Cave in downtown Faribault, Minn. provides the perfect stop for any cheese lover. Shopping on-line at www.cheesecave.net is a great way to ship cheeses across the country.Below: Jeff Jirik visits with Cheese Cave employee nicole McDonough while she waits on her customers.

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“Thecave-agednakedcheesesevokethearomaofafreshlytilledgardeninspring.” ---Jeff Jirik, V.P. Blue Cheese Operations

Swiss Valley Farms field rep Jim Schmitz’ career in the dairy industry spans 48 years of working with farmers as well as making dairy products. This is

just a part of what makes him a most deserving recipient of the Merle P. Baker Sanitarian’s Award, which was pre-sented to him at the Iowa Association for Food Protection annual meeting held October 5 in Ames, Iowa. The other part of his success would be his love for dairy producers and their lifestyles.

“I love working with farmers,” Jim said. “They are honest, hard working people and I’ve fully enjoy working with them.”

Jim grew up on a 33 Guernsey cow dairy in Norwalk, Wis. In addition to milking cows, Jim’s family had a can milk route and hauled the blocks and barrels of cheese to the warehouse in Richland Center and Viola, Wisconsin. “I don’t miss those days,” Jim says. “Especially hauling the blocks and barrels to town.”

Jim became a cheese maker in 1961 at Midway Co-operative in Cashton, Wis. He eventually became a cheese maker at Elkader Milk Producers and then at State Center Iowa Cooperative. Jim went to work for Farmers Co-op Creamery in Greeley as a Plant Manager. His duties also included being a butter maker and a field representative. Greeley sold out to Swiss Valley in 2000 and Jim came to the farmer-owned cooperative as a field representative in Northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin. Today, he works with co-op members in southwest Wisconsin.

He reports to Ron Brenner, Swiss Valley Farms Field Supervisor located in the Sparta, Wis. office. “Jim and I have a great working relationship. He understands the importance of helping our members with milk qual-ity and any other issue. He also has experienced almost everything in the dairy industry, which is very valuable when working with our patrons,” Ron says. “Jim truly cares about the success of each of his farms.”

Jim was married to his first wife, Mary, for 33 years before her death in 1997 from cancer. Together, Jim and Mary had four sons: Mike, Pat, Mark and John. Jim met his current wife, Melissa, through the milk business. Me-lissa was a dairy farmer down the road from where Jim lived. They married in August 2004.

FIelD Rep SChMItz IS hoNoReD

Jim Schmitz of Montfort, Wis. received the 2010 Merle P. Baker Sanatarian’s Award for his outstanding service to the dairy industry and food sanitation. The award was presented to him by the Iowa Association of Food Protection.

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M e r l e P. B a k e r A w a r d

Noon District 21 – Pam Bolin

Doc’sClarksville, IA

7:30 p.m. District 4 – Jim Schmitt

New Vienna Community Hall New Vienna, IA

NoonDistrict 5 –

KC HallCascade, IA

(Note: There will be an election at this meeting to serve out Bill Strief ’s 2-year term.)

Noon District 17 – Dale Humpal

Community Presbyterian ChurchPostville, IA

8:00 p.m. District 20 – Steve Klug

St. Mary’s Catholic Church Caledonia, MN

Noon District 15 – Loyde Beers

Father Baer Hall Eastman, WI

Noon District 23 – Jeff NimtzCardinal Country Inn

Brodhead, WI

Noon District 19 – Eugene Smith

Ponderosa RestaurantBeaver Dam, WI

7:30 p.m.District 2 – Francis Leibfried

Banfield’s Swiss HausCuba City, WI

Noon District 6 – G. Joe Lyon

Reinig Center Toledo, IA

Noon District 16 – Ken Schmitz

Club 16Sparta, WI

7:30 p.m. District 1 – Pat Schroeder

Happy Joe’sLancaster, WI

Noon District 13 – Randy Schaefer Fairview Mennonite Church

Kalona, IA

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2010 revolving fund checks will be dispersed

early at all district meetings!

attend your meeting to pick up your check.

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Plannowtoattendyour

�010 DIStRICt MeetINGS

Somatic Cell Range -- Percentage listed is based on number of A Farms0 - 100,000....................................................... 4 %100,001 - 200,000..................................... 21%200,001 - 300,000...................................... 30%300,001 - 400,000...................................... 21%400,001 - 500,000........................................ 12%500,001 and above................................... 12%

Chris Hoeger VP, ProcurementEldridge, IA 52748

Office 563.468.6628Mobile 563.340.7943

Nancy Feeney Member Relations3855 Manchester Dr • Bettendorf, IA 52722

Office 563.468.6640Mobile 563.320.4815

Tim Genthe Lab & Safety Manager803 S. School St. • Cuba City, WI 53807

Office 563.583.7669Home 608.744.3515

marv Thompson Raw Milk Sales617 Monroe St. • Sparta, WI 54656

Office 608.366.1770Home 608.269.4850

Ron Brenner Field Supervisor1817 Loomis St. • LaCrosse, WI 54603

Office 608.366.1770Home 608.781.5324

Thomas Tegeler Field Supervisor1320 11/2 St. SW • Dyersville, IA 52040

Office 563.583.7669Home 563.875.2059

Randy Heisel259 E. Lakeview Dr. • LaFarge, WI 54639

Home 608.625.2045Mobile 608.386.6681

mike Howald 7105 N. Freeport Rd. • Forreston, IL 61030

Office 815.938.2651Fax 815.938.9151

s w i s s v a l l e y f a r m s

FIelD peRSoNNel & StAtS FieldDepartment&ProcurementDivisionDirectory During the Month of September,

these Swiss Valley Farms Members averaged below 100,000 for

their Somatic Cell count.

ALDINGER, ROGER 92,000BAUS, RON & MARY 71,000BENNETT, JOHN & CHARLENE 45,000BERLAGE, JOHN K. 83,000BREUCKMAN, CHAD 98,000BROCKMEYER, PAUL 81,000CAROLAN, KEVIN & DONNA 87,000DEAVER, MIKE 78,000ELMHORST, MICHAEL & EVANGELINE 95,000FASSBENDER, PAUL G. 81,000GILBERTSON, LARRY 81,000HENDEL FARMS 86,000HODSON-DIRKSEN FARMS LLC 93,000KAUFFMANN, JERRY & STEPHANIE 92,000KAUFFMANN, RICHARD & LUANN 92,000KETCHUM, ROBERT C. & TERRI A. 72,000KLEIN, ERIC C. 94,000KLEIN, MARK A. 94,000KOOPMANN, BRENT 88,000KOOPMANN, CHAD 88,000LINDSAY, BRIAN 93,000MARTIN, JOHN E. 96,000PATTISON, LEE & SARA 94,000PETERSON, PER K. 91,000REGO, DAVID & LINDA 97,000SCHAEFER, JEFFREY G. 81,000SCHAEFER, KURT 81,000SCHAEFER, SUSAN 81,000SCHMITZ, KENNETH & MARLUS 80,000SCHROEDER, CRAIG A. 61,000THOMPSON, LARRY & LIANE 93,000VALLEY VIEW DAIRY INC 91,000YODER, LEIGHTON 94,000

Kara Koopmann6142 Roller Coaster Rd. • Epworth, IA 52045

Plant 563.583.7669Home 563.876.3900

Roger Lenius319 9th St. • Waverly, IA 50677

Office 319.352.5463Home 319.352.5015

Ken Ley225 S. Clifton • Livingston, WI 53554

Plant 608.348.3932Home 608.943.6240

Lynne melchert117 Culver Rd. NE • Hopkinton, IA 52237

Office 563.926.2363Home 563.926.2794

Jim murphy430 Linden • West Union, IA 52175

Office 563.422.5789Mobile 563.380.0393

Jim Schmitz304 Dale Dr. • Montfort, WI 53569

Office 608.943.1172Cell 563.599.2400

Cheryl Zablocki-WagnerW 1919 Hofa Park Dr. • Seymour, WI 54165

Office 920.822.2933Mobile 563.663.1306

Bob Zielsdorf309 North St. • Sparta, WI 54656

Office 608.366.1770Home 608.269.5452

page 10 SWISS vALLEY FARMS DAIRYMAN

S w i s s V a l l e y G a l s F a l l M e e t i n g s

THOMAS H. BAHRHixton, Wis.

DAIRY VENTURE LLCCentral City, Iowa

DANIEL J. & KARA DEANSDane, Wis.

CALEB NORTONTipton, Iowa

WILLIAM NORTONTipton, Iowa

BILL & LYNN VANDERHAMHillsboro, Iowa

welcomeNew SwISS VAlleY FARMS MeMbeRS

Have You Logged on To THe Producer-onLY SecTion of www.SwiSSvaLLeY.com?

There’s a world of information waiting for you when you use your personal PIN number to log into the producer-only section of www.swsissvalley.com. check history herd lab statistics milk future contract prices premium program details

To get your personal PIN, contact your field representative.

Members who would like to get their milk test results can call our toll free number:

800.397.7669Our Dubuque Procurement office is staffed with

real people (no recordings) on Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon.

Rapid Milk test results

Board members of Cooperatives Working Together (CWT), the dairy farmer-funded self-help program, recently voted to focus the seven year-

old program exclusively on building export markets after 2010.

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) – which manages CWT – CWT’s management committee determined that an export-centered program was the most appropriate course to follow in the future. This means that CWT will no longer fund any herd retirement rounds, through which CWT member farms are paid to reduce their herds. NMPF’s Board of Directors voted to support a CWT program that will be funded at two cents per hundredweight, starting Jan. 1, 2011, and running through 2012 (the program currently collects 10 cents/cwt. on its members’ milk volume). It was also determined that 75% of the nation’s milk supply must be contributing at that level in order for the program to continue. They also voted to take the remaining funds not allocated so far in 2010, and shift those to the export assistance program in 2011.

Swiss Valley Farms Directors voted at their Nov. 2 Board meeting for the cooperative to totally support this two-cent per hundredweight CWT check off. Beginning Jan. 1, two cents per hundredweight will be deducted from all co-op members’ milk and sent to CWT, to help fund this national endeavor to increase U.S. dairy exports.

NMPF reports that for every one dollar spent assisting CWT member cooperatives in making export

sales, U.S. dairy farmers received $15.53 in additional revenue. CWT’s export activity in 2010 has returned 18 cents per hundredweight to America’s dairy producers. “This analysis shows that refocusing CWT’s efforts to maintaining U.S. participation in export markets will positively impact U.S. dairy producer margins,” said Jerry Kozak, NMPF CEO.

The 75% minimum participation level among U.S. dairy producers is needed to move forward with the collection of the additional two-cent investment, which will provide total funding of approximately $40 million per year. Kozak said that the membership commitment will be 24 months for both cooperatives and individual dairy farmers. This will allow CWT to develop an export assistance strategic plan as to how and when to best utilize the funds committed, he noted.

s u p p o r t e d b y t w o - c e n t c h e c k o f f

Cwt to FoCuS oN eXpoRtS

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S W I S S v A L L E Y F A R M S C o o P E R A T I v E

DairymanYour copy of

Post Office Box 4493Davenport, IA 52808

Address Service Requested

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPermit No. 141Davenport, IA

District Meetings will be here in just a couple of weeks! Turn to page 9 to see when and where your District Meeting will be held. New this year, revolving fund checks will be handed out early at these meetings. Don’t wait on the mail. Attend your district meeting, bring a valid driver’s license and pick up your check!

CheCk out SwISS VAlleY’S �010

DIStRICt MeetING SCheDule

Bernard and Linda Cliff, Bloomington, Wis., left, collected their 25-year Quality Award at last year’s district meetings. Above, Robert and BeFong Deutmeyer, Dyersville, Iowa, picked up their 10-year Quality Awards.